Joshua Fields takes the same flights every week for work, his life a series of departures and arrivals, hotels and airports. During yet another layover, he meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger with whom he feels an immediate connection. When it’s time for their respective flights, Morgan kisses Joshua passionately, lamenting that they’ll never see each other again.

As soon as Morgan disappears in the crowd, Joshua is shocked to see her face on a nearby TV. The reason: Morgan is a missing person.

What follows is a whirlwind, fast-paced journey filled with lies, deceit, and secrets as Joshua tries to discover why Morgan has vanished from her own life. Every time he thinks one mystery is solved, another rears its head—and his worst enemy might be his own assumptions about those around him.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

A chance meeting at an airport. Joshua feels an instant connection to Morgan. She gives him a killer kiss good-bye, but he can’t just let her go. He chucks his plan to meet his father to close a business deal and follows Morgan. He knows she is on the run and hiding something huge but he just can’t leave her behind. Joshua is soon mentally trapped into Morgan’s web and he could end up making the ultimate sacrifice all the be with a girl he met on a LAYOVER.

David Bell is one of my favorite authors but this one didn’t blow me away as others have.

Joshua Fields appears to be a very intelligent young man who may need a vacation from work but he keeps making bad decisions. I understand being in a rut and wanting change but I had a hard time believing the lengths he went to for a woman he just met and knew for all of a few minutes. He is a good guy but his first move was almost stalkerish. After that, though I realized Morgan was a master manipulator who knew just how to pull Joshua’s strings as soon as he continued to follow wherever she led.

I realize the premise of this book from an encounter the author actually witnessed but I just couldn’t get on board with it all. Maybe if the woman was a someone from his past, that he hadn’t seen in years I would have found it believable because they would have had a smidgen of history to build on.

Putting their meeting aside the story itself was complicated as Morgan’s story was revealed piece by piece from several viewpoints. The key was learning the true story and for that to come out there were several twists. Readers are treated to some suspenseful moments as the chase of Morgan and now Joshua continues. The author’s writing style of short chapters with mini-cliffhangers and alternate points of view worked very well. Those little teasers had me doing the just one more chapter thing over and over again. For me, the ending was unexpected and made me glad I had kept reading.

Aside from wanting to jump into the book several times to try to stop Joshua making stupid choices, this was a largely entertaining read.

Of course, I am looking forward to David Bell’s next thriller.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

You can find out more about David Bell and his books visit his webpage here.

Thanks to the publisher I have 1 copy to give away!The contest is open to anyone over 18 years oldwith a US mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will findsomething you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sophia Cummings may be unlucky in love, but she knows that the way to a man’s heart is through his sweet tooth. This evening, she plans to use that knowledge—and her skills as a New York City-trained pastry chef—to open the hearts and wallets of Rumford, Kentucky’s richest men. Sophia, proprietress of For Goodness Cakes, has been commissioned to cater the Heart of the Town Library charity fundraiser at Grape Valley Winery. She’s spent all her dough to make this a successful event, raise her profile, and win more plum catering jobs.

At first, the going is as smooth as an elegant chocolate ganache. After nibbling Sophia’s tasty treats, Ray Peel, the winery’s landlord, announces he will pay off Rumford’s library loan. But the evening soon turns decidedly frosty when Ray is murdered—before he can make good on his promise, and before he can pay Sophia for her catering services.

For Goodness Cakes will collapse if Sophia can’t collect what she’s owed. So Sophia once again puts on her sleuthing apron to figure out who iced Ray.

With authentic Southern recipes!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

For Goodness Cakes is open for business and Sophia Cummings is doing everything to build her clientele and bring in customers. She is thrilled to be catering the desserts at the Heart of the Town Library charity fundraiser at Grape Valley Winery. The library is planning a huge addition and most of the money has been pledged by Ray Peel. He is the winery’s landlord and has his hands in many other businesses in the area.

Shortly after the fundraiser begins he informs the librarian he will no longer be funding the renovations, insults local realtor and Sophie’s friend, Madison Ridge, has an argument with woman in town for a wine conference, and tells Giles Dugan owner of Grape Valley Winery that he will not be renewing their lease and plans to shut them down at the conclusion of the night’s event.

Sophia thinks with all the chaos caused by Mr. Peel she’s better get her money for her part of the fundraiser as soon as possible. On her way to the main office, she trips over something and comes face to face with a very dead Ray Peel. She quickly makes a call to boyfriend, Sheriff Carter Kincaid who does his best to calm her down. After looking at the crime scene and interviewing witnesses he decides Sophie’s friend, Madison is his prime suspect. Seriously?? For Goodness Sakes! This put Sophie into a tizzy and she proclaims she will do everything she can to prove her friend had nothing to do with that man’s demise.

I was having a stressful day, my husband was having a long and complicated surgery and I really needed something to keep my mind off that and watching the clock. I can say this book was just what I needed. Maymee Bell’s (Tonya Kappes) story worked on me just like A Calgon, take me away bath. Of course, I had to keep my giggling internal because the waiting room was full of people, but I did share bits with the woman sitting close to me. She was quick to write down the author and the title as well as some of the author’s other books I told her about. 🙂

Maymee Bell has a distinctive voice and she creates such unique characters. Sophie softens up the suspects with treats from her shop to get them to talk. Carter is not happy with her “help” and sometimes she tells him her plan and then does the complete opposite that frustrates him to no end. At least he knows from the start, she is going to butt in, especially with her best friend involved. Sophia’s mother, Bitsy, just cracks me up. She was my favorite in this story. The dialogue between all the characters is very comfortable which makes the story so easy to read.

Solving this mystery wasn’t easy. It was fun to follow along with Sophie as Operation Merlot was put into effect and suspects were crossed off the “murder board”. The story was very well-plotted with plenty of red herrings. I was totally surprised by the ending.

Engaging characters and a delightful mystery. A truly Perfect Escape for me. Thank you, Ms. Bell, your story was just what the doctor ordered. The pages flew and so did my day.

Maymee Bell is the pen name of USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes. She lives in Kentucky with her family and her two schnauzers. She likes strong coffee, slow-country days, and fresh-baked cookies – but she like telling stores best of all.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

It’s Christmastime in Cottonwood, Kentucky, and Sheriff Kenni Lowry is determined to keep the peace. Vivian Lowry, Kenni’s Mama, is having a Christmas-size hissy fit because Kenni plans to spend Christmas in Chicago with her Deputy Sheriff-turned-boyfriend Finn Vincent and his family.

Plus, the snowstorm of the century is headed right toward Cottonwood, leaving the residents in a frantic frenzy and potentially derailing Kenni’s Christmas plans with Finn.

If that’s not enough to dampen the Christmas spirit, the ghost of Kenni’s grandfather—the ex-sheriff—makes an appearance, and that means only one thing: there’s been a Christmas murder, and there’s a tinsel-wrapped victim at the center of it.

Relying on her Poppa more than ever, Kenni uses him as the Ghost of Christmas Past to help solve the murder, but will it be in time for her to save Christmas in Cottonwood and hop on her plane to meet Finn’s family?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sheriff Kenni Lowry only has one thing on her mind, spending the holidays with Deputy Sheriff, now boyfriend, Finn Vincent, and his family in Chicago. No matter what the meteorologists or the rest of Cottonwood says about the huge snowstorm on the way, Kenni is not going to let it dampen her spirits or change her plans. When her grandfather, former sheriff, currently a ghost shows up she realizes MURDER may be the one thing that can tangle up her plans royally.

A young woman goes missing after the Hunt Club Christmas Cantata. Her parents are frantic and her boyfriend is worried. When her vehicle is found all hope is gone when she is found inside. It initially looks like a suicide but Kenni knows that if her Poppa is there the girl did not kill herself.

Kenni with the assistance of her Poppa, Deputy Finn, and the temporary deputy there to fill in for her while she is on her trip, band together to put the killer behind bars before the snowstorm hits. While her mama may be happy she is stuck in Cottonwood Kenni hopes her plans to spend Christmas in the windy city don’t fall through.

Christmas in Cottonwood means family to Vivian Lowry as long as it is her family getting together. She is not happy that her daughter has Christmas plans away from her. As the day gets closer she tightens the screws more and more in hopes that Kenni will change her mind. Of course, a young woman’s death was not in her plan. She just wanted Kenni to stand up to Finn and make him choose not to leave. Vivian Lowry is a woman to be reckoned with, crossing her is not advised. The way that the author has crafted this character and all the others is totally believable. Their Southern charm just rolls off of them. Even Finn is starting to fit right in.

I really love the ghostly presence of Kenni’s grandfather. He can only be seen and heard by Kenni and her lovable dog Duke. With each new installment of this series, it gets harder and harder for Kenni to keep her secret from Finn. So much humor comes from the moments of Kenni with her Poppa, his outlandish comments and her trying to cover up when someone overhears her side of the conversation,

The death of Leighann Graves is heartbreaking and to have it happen so close to Christmas was even more wrenching. The suspects are all residents of Cottonwood. Some secrets come out to twist the case toward one person but then turns another way to incriminate someone else and the twists and turns keep coming right up until the very end. I can’t believe how fast I read this story. I just couldn’t wait to reach the end to find out who killed Leighann? does the storm of the century hit Cottonwood? did Finn and Kenni catch their plane to Chicago?

This book was so enjoyable to read. I am glad I saved it to read during the hustle and bustle this holiday season. It is one I recommend adding to your holiday reading lists as well. Totally entertaining!

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you the books I was not able to review when they were first released that have been screaming at me from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.

I lost a day of reading on Saturday due to the Walk for Hope, Kaden’s game and dinner out. I was exhausted when I got home and was awakened by my husband a little while later with my Kindle in my hand. So I got ready for bed and was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Because of that, I am sharing a review will you again from 2016 and I have an Advance Review Copy to give away.

When her Aunt Peg lands a gig as judge at a Kentucky dog show, Melanie Travis welcomes the opportunity for a road trip. Too bad a killer has planned a deadly detour . . .

For a dog lover like Melanie, the opportunity to attend the Kentuckiana Dog Show Cluster is not to be missed. Fortunately, the timing coincides with her spring break from teaching, so she heads for central Kentucky with her sister-in-law Bertie and Aunt Peg, who’s accepted a week-long judging assignment. Once there, Aunt Peg reconnects with an old friend, Ellie Gates Wanamaker, a former Standard Poodle exhibitor and a member of a well-heeled Kentucky family. Miss Ellie has been out of the dog show world for more than a decade, but when Melanie invites her to spectate at the Louisville Kennel Club dog show, she’s eager to accompany her.

Miss Ellie’s presence at the expo center, however, provokes mixed reactions from exhibitors she hasn’t seen in years, including some outright animosity. The following day Melanie learns that Miss Ellie has suffered a fatal accident while exercising her dogs. Aunt Peg, however, suspects foul play. Wishing to avoid any scandal, Miss Ellie’s pedigreed family prefers to let sleeping dogs lie, but as Melanie begins to sniff around, she discovers Miss Ellie had many secrets, both in the dog show world and amongst her Kentucky kin . . .

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Racehorses and dogs come together as Melanie, Bertie and Peg head to the Kentuckiana Dog Show Cluster and to check out Peg’s new inheritance. They aren’t just horsing around either when one of Peg’s old friends, Ellie Gates Wanamaker, is found dead. Accident or murder, Peg is like a dog with a bone to get answers.

I am so late to the Melanie Travis Mystery Party and I still don’t understand how I have missed this series. But let me tell you, Laurien Berenson made me feel right at home. I jumped right into this story and enjoyed it immensely. She gave enough of a backstory that I never felt lost or that I was missing some important details. That is hard to do with a long-standing series as this. I love these characters and want to go back up and read much more about them and find out how this wonderful group came together.

The only hesitation I had was understanding the horse breeding, selling, training processes but that is a very complicated thing unless you live in that world. It was totally on me not on the author’s storytelling.

I so enjoyed learning about the wonderful poodles and the Jack Russell Terriers. As a parent to two Border Collie/Blue Heeler mixes, I understand clearly how each breed has their own tendencies, traits, and idiosyncrasies. No matter what they are we love them and the author’s love was shining from the beginning of this story until the end.

Laurien Berenson writes a heck of a mystery too. Right up until the end we were guessing about what happened and why and who was responsible. It went right down to the wire just like a great horse race.

I am excited to read more of these stories, catching up and going forward.

Thank you, Ms. Berenson, for a delightful story to curl up with.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About This Author

Laurien Berenson is an Agatha and Macavity Nominee, winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, and four time winner of the Maxwell Award, presented by the Dog Writers Association of America. She and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky surrounded by dogs and horses.

Find out more about her and her books on her webpage here. Find her on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

I have 1 ARC copy to give away! The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Somebody’s Daughter – When Michael Frazier’s ex-wife, Erica, unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, she drops a bombshell that threatens to rip his family apart: Her ten-year-old daughter is missing–and Michael is the father. Unsure whether this is the truth but unwilling to leave the girl’s fate to chance, Michael has no choice but to follow the elusive trail of the child he has always wanted but never knew he had.

After Michael departs, his wife, Angela, learns shocking news about Erica and fears for the safety of both her husband and the endangered girl. When a stranger, a man who claims a connection to Erica and her missing daughter, knocks on the door, Angela is drawn out into the night–and deep into the tangled web of Michael’s past….

Over the course of one night, lies that span a decade come bubbling to the surface, putting Michael, his wife, and his whole family in jeopardy. And as the window for a little girl’s safe return closes, Michael will have to decide who can be trusted and who is hiding the truth….

Dollycas’s Thoughts

David Bell has yet to disappoint me. There is a reason he has become one of my favorite authors.

This story introduces us to Michael Frazier and his wife Angela. They have been trying desperately to have a child. Just as they are about to go to bed there is a knock on the door. Michael’s ex-wife Erica has come to beg his help in finding her daughter. Claiming the police are not doing enough, that she has no one else to turn to and then claiming that the girl is his daughter, he doesn’t know if he believes her but feels he has no choice but to go with her and search.

Angela is beside herself with worry and that only escalates when a strange man arrives at her door telling her his connection to Erica and her daughter. He convinces her to go with him to find her husband, his ex, and the lost 10-year-old.

Everyone’s life could change within the next few hours. Micheal knows he needs to find the truth but first, he needs to find that little girl. She IS Somebody’s Daughter.

Secrets, secrets, secrets! So many people keeping secrets and as each one is revealed the story takes another twist. Michael life has not been easy. A tragic event from his past has truly shaped the life he has lived since. In just one night he learns so many things he didn’t know. His quest to find the truth and this girl puts his life at risk as well as others, people he loves and people trying to help him.

Mr. Bell has a writing style that makes it virtually impossible to put the book down. The story is told from various points of view, which for me was very enjoyable. His short chapters that leave you hanging at each ending set a very brisk pace and an urgency to keep reading. I made the mistake of beginning this book on July 3. I read until I couldn’t hold my eyes open any longer. I took it with me to a family get together on the 4th hoping I would be able to keep reading, but that didn’t happen. As soon as we got home, I dashed to the bedroom to read and stayed up until I finished in the early morning hours on July 5. I had a heck of a book hangover when I got up, but it was so worth it. (This seems to happen to me a lot when reading books by this author.)

Bell also knows how to deliver that last final twist that caught me totally by surprise. Then he tied everything up nicely for me too. He even gives us a glimpse into the character’s future.

Another fantastic story by this author. Well-written, well-plotted, great characters – A “Perfect Escape”.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

You can find out more about David and his books visit his webpage here.

Thanks to the publisher I have 1 copy to give away!The contest is open to anyone over 18 years oldwith a US mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will findsomething you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

About the Book

Beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone. And doesn’t our Sheriff Kenni Lowry know that? Well, she knows a lot of things.

Lucy Lowell takes great pride in writing negative reviews in the local newspaper for anything that does not go her way. When Lucy is found dead, it appears to be from natural causes.

But Sheriff Kenni Lowry knows there is more to it because the ghost of her grandfather, the ex-sheriff, is standing over the body.

His presence can only mean one thing: Murder!

Since Kenni’s relationship with Deputy Finn Vincent has heated up, Kenni is having trouble conducting the investigation without Finn questioning her every move.

Can Kenni unravel the mystery on her own or will she have to tell Finn the real reason she knows it was murder—the ghost of her poppa?

It’s blowin’ up a storm and only Kenni knows how it’ll end.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Her grandfather’s ghost only shows up when a murder has been committed, so when Sheriff Kenni Lowry arrives on the scene of Lucy Ellen Lowell’s death she knows it is murder even though it appears she has passed from natural causes. With Finn nearby, all the time know because they are actually dating, it is hard for Kenni to discuss the case with her grandfather. Finn is suspicious about her behavior, “talking to herself” and why she is putting so much effort into this case. She needs some proof to back up what she already knows, that Lucy being Dead as a Doornail was at the hands of a killer.

We return to Cottonwood just in time for the mayor’s wedding. His bride is having trouble keeping the maid of honor spot filled so Kenni’s mother volunteers her for the spot and all the duties the job entails. Kenni really doesn’t have time for this especially now that she is investigating a murder. If my mother would have done something like this I would have lost my mind, but this story takes place in the south and Kenni knows she just needs to roll with punches, no matter how ugly the dress is.

The story starts out at Tiny Tina’s Salon and Spa where we catch up with Bridezilla Polly and her bridal party. It is also the place to hear all the latest gossip. A very important place in any small town. The way the owner is implicated in Lucy’s murder was very interesting. The author takes us down quite a path to find who did in poor lucy. Twists and turns that lead to a super surprising ending.

Small town politics play a role in the story. Kenni has to watch her P’s and Q’s if she expects to be reelected. The mayor was his bride to be happy so he would like the wedding to be Kenni’s top priority and solve the murder after his bride walks down the aisle. I admire the way Kenni juggles everything going on in her life. She is one busy lady. I absolutely love that her “Poppa” is still watching over her and is there when she needs him. I wish it were possible to continue relationships like that with loved ones we have lost.

I have enjoyed every book in this series. Tonya Kappes is an excellent storyteller. She makes Cottonwood and its residents jump right off the page. Each visit to this place seems to end way too soon.

This was another fun fantastic mystery from this author filled with Southern charm and engaging characters. Well plotted and written and checks all my boxes for a Perfect Escape.

Your Great Escapes Travel Agent

About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

If you enjoy well written Southern cozies that feature a strong female lead that has the law backing her then you really have to try this book/series.~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Tonya Kappes has a knack for knowing what her fans like—a small-town atmosphere, quirky characters, and light mystery that will keep them guessing until the end. The bottom line is she’s delivered again with this Kenni Lowry mystery.~Mysteries With Character

Dead as a Doornail is an entertaining cozy mystery full of southern charm, humor, and a few quirky characters along the way.~The Power of Words

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Death By Edits

I admit that when I started writing I had no idea what I was doing. I had an idea. I wanted ONE reader to escape their life by my one story. That was it. It wasn’t until I had written that book did I know what it really was like to be a writer.

Some people say that writing the novel is the hardest part for them. Ernst Hemingway said, “There is nothing to writing. All you have to do sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” I agree that writing a novel is far from easy. It takes discipline to sit down every day and knock out five thousand words. Believe it or not, that is the I immerse myself into a book as I’m writing it. I love those characters. I love their homes. I love the small town. I love everything about it. I live in their world for many months as I’m writing their story.

Then comes the part that I downright loathe! I mean it. I can’t stand editing. To make it less painful, after I write the first one-hundred pages of a novel; which is what I call the bones, I go back and add meat to those bones. I will add more descriptions, more dialogue tags, and more of the funny stuff. Then I will do this for the next one-hundred pages with a Diet Coke my side.

That’s not the end of the editing process. This is just the beginning. Once I go back and add the meat on the bones, I print it all out and do it all over again. I try to make the manuscript fat with words and with description all while making sure the timelines in the plot fit and work. After doing this a few times, then and only then do I send it off to the editor. But by this time another character from another series has already taken root in my head and started their story.

A few months later I get an email from the editor that their edits have been added and I have to take a look at them. I’ve already forgotten the plot and what everyone in the town looks like because I have moved on. I grab a cup of coffee and hunker down.

This is very difficult for me. I’m not the type of writer who can write a couple books at the same time. I can’t. I’m not wired that way. It’s awful. Plumb awful.

Since I have to get the edits back to my editor, I have to stop writing the current work in progress, go back and reread the novel that needs edits and start all over. By this time, I’m so sick of the novel that I just want to move on.

Then I send it back to my editor for a couple more rounds of edits. I don’t hear from the editor for a few months. Then out of nowhere, I get a copy of the ARC of that novel that I’d been so tired of. My eyes swell. My heart dips. I rub the cover. I crack the spine and start to fall in love all over again with those characters and that small town. And it’s just in time for them to move right back in my head for the next novel in the series.

In the first of a delectable new Southern-set baking cozy series, Sophia Cummings, pastry chef extraordinaire, must craft the perfect cake for an old friend’s wedding while sifting through the suspects in a murder.

Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She’s not there a minute before she’s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte’s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by.

With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it’s not Emile’s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager, who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile’s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

When I first saw the cover of this book I didn’t know the author was a pseudonym for Tonya Kappes, but as soon as I read the first page, I knew I was reading a book by Tonya Kappes. She has a distinctive writing style and her characters are so much fun.

This new cozy series introduces us to Sophia Cummings, a pastry chef at a top Manhattan restaurant. That is until she finds her boyfriend, also a chef at the same restaurant, cheating on her. She decides to head home to Rumford, Kentucky to get a break. She quickly runs into a friend from high school and finds herself making her wedding cake. The reception is being held at the Rumford Country Club where Sophia used to work. She knows she will have everything she needs there to create the wedding cake of her friend’s dreams. Unfortunately, when she arrives she finds the club’s head chef, Emile, dead on the floor with a cast iron skillet nearby. She notices something about the pan and informs Sheriff Carter. The next thing she knows she has accepted the job as an interim chef for the club. Maybe while working there she can find out who clobbered the chef, but her main concern is that her friend’s wedding goes on without any more interruptions or dead bodies.

This series is off to a divine start. Sophia is a talented chef with a huge heart. She loves creating desserts that make people happy. She couldn’t say “no” to anyone, which is why she ends up committed to baking things even after the date she plans to return to Manhattan. Her mother, on the other hand, is demanding, bossy, and you know a mom that really loves her daughter. She is also not beyond a little matchmaking. Her father does his best to keep the peace and has a strong bond with his daughter. It was great to meet all of Sophia’s high school friends, even the one she doesn’t recognize. These characters are so well developed already in this first book. I am excited to see the beyond high school relationships grow and evolve. Their Southern charm shines throughout the whole story.

The author has filled these pages with a great whodunit too with plenty of suspects and twists galore. So well-plotted and full of clues and just the perfect amount of humor.

Ms. Bell’s descriptive talents set the scene perfectly. She has created this wonderful little town of Rumford and I escaped away right into it.

Southern charm, mystery, great characters, fantastic dialogue, and a bit of comedy make Cake and Punishment a must read! The talk of sweet treats will also have your mouth watering.

Your Great Escapes Travel Agent

About the Author

Maymee Bell is the pen name of USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes. She lives in Kentucky with her family and her two schnauzers. She likes strong coffee, slow-country days, and fresh-baked cookies – but she like telling stores best of all. This is her first SOUTHERN BAKER MYSTERY.

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Six Feet Under (A Kenni Lowry Mystery) by Tonya Kappes

Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. And let me tell you, this broth is in trouble. Get ready for a Southern showdown.

The residents of Cottonwood, Kentucky are sent into a tizzy when the Culinary Channel comes to town to film an episode of Southern Home Cookin’ with celebrity chef Frank Von Lee.

Especially Sheriff Kenni Lowry.

Her mama’s award-winning chicken pot pie is what brought Frank to town, and they don’t make hair in the South bigger than her mama’s ego after the news.

When Frank Von Lee is found dead from food poisoning and the most likely culprit is Mama’s chicken pot pie, Kenni’s poppa, the former sheriff, comes back from the Great Beyond to assist in the investigation.

But nothing’s prepared Kenni for such a personal tie to a case, and she finds herself pushing the limits of the laws she’s sworn to protect.

This book’s so delicious it’ll make your mouth water and leave you hankerin’ for more.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The synopsis is right, “This book’s so delicious it’ll make your mouth water and leave you hankerin’ for more.” Those television people are in town and you just know there is going to be trouble.

Sheriff Kenni Lowry’s mama makes a scrumptious chicken pot pie and celebrity chef Frank Von Lee from the t.v. show Southern Home Cookin’ has come to town to check it out. He is also visiting another recipe contestant in a nearby town before he makes his final decision of which one to feature on his show. It is very surprising when the chef is found dead in his hotel room with a chicken pot pie nearby. Kenni’s mom becomes the prime suspect, and it is going to take everything Kenni and her ghostly grandfather can do to clear her of the crime. Some of the things they uncover are pretty shocking.

While reading this book I was reminded of a series of books written by J. J. Cook (Joyce and Jim Lavene), the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mysteries. In that series, like this one, the protagonist is assisted by her grandfather that happens to be a ghost. I have been missing those authors and that series. As I get further and further into this series by Tonya Kappes the feelings I had about the Lavene’s stories are rallying with this one.

This time with Kenni’s mother seemingly the only suspect, she is removed from the case, with her now boyfriend Finn taking it over. That doesn’t mean Kenni is done investigating, she just needs to be a little more careful so the mayor doesn’t get wind of what she is doing. I love the interplay between Kenni and her Poppa. He has had her back since she became sheriff. But, it is getting harder and harder to keep his ghost a secret. There are too many times she has been caught talking to “herself”. All the characters Ms. Kappes has created in this story are interesting and the main ones are very engaging.

The plot lines this time are full of goodies, fraudulent handicapped parking passes, a pop-up botox clinic, the antics of Kenni and her mama checking out the other recipe contestant (be prepared to laugh out loud), and the murder of chef Frank Von Lee. Tonya Kappes twists it all together to make one heck of a story.

Filled with Southern charm, humor, delightful characters, a smidgen of romance, and a well-plotted mystery Six Feet Under is an absolute must-read.

If this is a new series to you, start and the beginning, sit back, read and enjoy. You can thank me later 🙂

Your Great Escapes Travel Agent

About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A debut novel set against a background of hospital rounds and life-or-death decisions that pulses with humor and empathy and explores the heart’s capacity for forgiveness…

Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they’re happily married wives and mothers with successful careers–Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years.

As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie’s life–both professionally and personally–throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick’s unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Kimmery Martin takes us into the lives of best friends Zadie Anson and Emma Colley. She alternates between their points of view and the present and the past. Emma, a trauma surgeon, and Zadie, a pediatric cardiologist, have faced grueling schedules to get to where they are in their lives, married with families and successful careers. Then Nick Xenokostas, Dr. X, transfers to North Carolina and turns their lives upside down. That third year of medical school comes back to haunt them and when secrets are revealed it could rip these two best friends apart.

I dove right into this story thinking it would be a combination of Grey’s Anatomy and other medical television dramas, but it was so much more. You know immediately the author is a physician by all the details she brings to this story. From medical terms to the struggle medical school, residency and beyond can be. I drank it all in and was riveted by Zadie and Emma’s stories. These characters were very realistic in both the bond they have and the lives they have created for themselves.

The underlying drama and tension runs throughout the story with little humorous breaks usually by Zadie’s 3-year-old Delaney. Her “Hi, beloved dear!” always broke through and made me smile. I was following along closely knowing something major had taken place in these women’s lives. Something they had tried to forget about. But when the event was revealed I became totally overwhelmed. Not exactly the same as an event that rocked my life but close enough that I had to stop reading for some time before I could pick it back up again. I still had to skip or just skim a few pages but I had to see how the story ended. I am so glad I did because there was yet another shocking twist that I didn’t see coming.

I was moved by this novel. I can’t believe it is the author’s debut. She is an excellent writer, she carries off the switching points of view and times, along with all the medical jargon so well. Her descriptive style puts readers right into each moment. Except for the one point I mentioned above I totally enjoyed the story, and that is on me. If you haven’t dealt with a similar traumatic event, you will absolutely love this story.

I am excited by this author and can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author

Kimmery Martin is a doctor, book reviewer, author interviewer, traveler, and obsessive reader. Her debut novel, The Queen of Hearts, was a huge hit among three of her friends before being picked up by Penguin Random House. Kimmery lives in North Carolina with her husband, three children, and the world’s most obstinate dog. You can read more of her writing, including travelogues, book reviews, and social commentary at www.kimmerymartin.com.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Southerners keep their secrets swept under the rug, but what happens when that rug goes up for sale?

Bestselling author Berlye Stone, the most famous citizen to ever come out of Cottonwood, Kentucky, has died and put all her worldly possessions up for auction, but not without leaving one more manuscript behind. A hidden tell-all about Cottonwood that’s got more gossip than a ladies’ luncheon.

When Beryle’s assistant turns up with an ax in her back and the only witness is in a coma, Sheriff Kenni Lowry reckons someone in town will do anything to keep the manuscript from seeing the light of day. Her poppa’s ghost returns to help piece together the life of the Beryle he once knew, but his memory’s a little foggy, and any misstep could cause them a world of trouble. With the help of Deputy Finn Vincent, can Kenni sort through the secrets buried in Beryle’s books, or will this be her final chapter?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Another fun, entertaining, crazy, cozy from Tonya Kappes. If you are not smiling and laughing when you are reading this story there is something wrong.

Cottonwood, Kentucky is mourning the loss of bestselling author Berlye Stone, their most famous resident. Then Berlye’s assistant is found with an ax in her back. Seems there is a tell all manuscript somewhere and that may have lead to the assistant’s death. Sheriff Kenni Lowry with a little help from her Poppa and Deputy Finn Vincent, is determined to find both the book and killer before someone axes her into the great beyond right along with her Poppa.

There was so much I loved about this story.

The characters are so strong and cleverly written. Kenni is such a strong protagonist. She is a darn good sheriff handling verything from neighborly disputes to murder. Her mother is an absolute hoot and a half, she is always deeply involved in one cause or another and right now she is campaigning for her daughters reelection. Kenni’s Poppa’s ghost returns just when she needs him, sometimes even before she knows she needs him. They relationship is so strong and heartwarming. It is funny too because only Kenni and her dog Duke can see the ghost. She sometimes forgets that and needs to quickly explain who the heck she is talking to. Deputy Finn Vincent is starting to put down roots in Cottonwood and that bodes very well for a real relationship with Kenni. The tricky part is, she is his boss, so going forward this will be quite interesting.

I really enjoyed the storyline too. An author, who is a bit of a recluse dies and everyone in town seems to be anxious and even afraid of what could be in this tell all book. Kenni learns that the characters in most of the steamy romance books she has written in the past have been based on residents from Cottonwood. This opens wide the list of suspects. She has never read any of the stories but she knows someone who has and that gives her clues to move her investigation forward. Small towns, you have to love them and there is no small town better than Cottonwood for a fantastic cozy mystery.

Southern charm, small town gossip, unique characters and a quality mystery you can stick your teeth into, Ax to Grind is a must read. It can be read all on its own but you really should start at the beginning and get introduced to Cottonwood and the folks that live there properly. Have you ordered you copy yet? What are you waiting for? 🙂

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

Ax to Grind by Tonya Kappes is fun, witty, and well-plotted. The mystery is full of twists and turns and a town full of suspects – and I had no idea whodunit until the big reveal.~Reading Is My SuperPower

Let me say that I read this book in one stand, the quick dialogues, the funny gossiping and the charming neighbour makes this book a funny and interesting read at the same time.~Varietats

Tonya delivers another winner. And what’s more fun than a mystery about a writer and a missing manuscript.~FUONLYKNEW

Every time I hear that the author has a new book out, I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I love her quirky characters and the humor she places throughout the story.~Texas Book-aholic

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Elizabeth J. Duncan

Set in North Wales, Canadian amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan attends a dinner party at a posh country house--where a historic chair disappears and a waiter is murdered.

Artist and spa owner Penny Brannigan has been asked to organize a formal dinner to mark the centenary of the armistice that ended World War One. After dinner, the guests adjourn to the library for a private exhibition of the Black Chair, a precious piece of Welsh literary history awarded in 1917 to poet Hedd Wyn. But to the guests' shock, the newly restored bardic chair is missing. And then Penny discovers the rain-soaked body of a waiter.

When Penny learns that the victim was the nephew of one of her employees, she is determined to find the killer. Meanwhile, the local police search for the Black Chair. The Prince of Wales is due to open an exhibit featuring the chair in three weeks, so time is not on their side. A visit to a nursing home to consult an ex-thief convinces Penny that the theft of the Black Chair and the waiter's murder are connected. She rushes to Dublin to consult a disagreeable antiquarian, who might know more than he lets on, and during the course of her investigation confronts a gaggle of suspicious travelers and an eccentric herbalist who seems to have something to hide. Can Penny find the chair and the culprit before she is laid to rest in the green grass of Wales?

Nancy Lynn Jarvis

New Cozy Series!

Law Librarian Pat Pirard got an unexpected thirty-fifth birthday present: a pink slip. Now she has nine weeks to reinvent herself before she runs out of money. Her best friend Syda gives her a glass-forming class as a birthday present and distraction where Pat again gets a surprise: a murder.

Cynthia Kuhn

The Subject of Malice is the strongest book in this series to date.
~Carstairs Considers….

The organizers have rustled up plenty of surprises for the literary conference at Tattered Star Ranch. But the murder of an influential scholar wasn’t on the program—someone has clearly taken the theme of Malice in the Mountains to heart. This shocking crime is only the beginning: Other dangers and deceptions are soon revealed.

English professor Lila Maclean has a full agenda: She must convince a press to publish her book (possibly), ace her panel presentations (hopefully), and deal with her nemesis (regrettably).

However, when Detective Lex Archer requests Lila’s academic expertise, she agrees to consult on the case. While her contributions earn high marks from her partner, it could be too late; the killer is already taking aim at the next subject.

As Lila races to keep her colleagues alive, publish or perish takes on new meaning.

Debra Sennefelder

One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s older sister

Leaving behind a failed career as a magazine editor and an embarrassing stint on a reality baking show, newly divorced lifestyle entrepreneur Hope Early thought things were finally on the upswing—until she comes face-to-face with a murderer . . .

Hope’s schedule is already jam packed with recipe testing and shameless plugs for her food blog as she rushes off to attend a spring garden tour in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Unfortunately, it isn’t the perfectly arranged potted plants that grab her attention—it’s the bloody body of reviled real estate agent Peaches McCoy . . .

One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s older sister, Claire Dixon—who, at best, saw Peaches as a professional rival. And suspicions really heat up when another murder occurs the following night. Now, with two messy murders shaking Jefferson and all evidence pointing to Claire, Hope must set aside her burgeoning brand to prove her sister’s innocence. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer intent on making sure her life goes permanently out of style . . .

Elizabeth McKenna

Mystery with a splash of romance…

Chicago Tribune reporters Emma and Grace have been best friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing. With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local detective.

Though American by birth, Frances Wynn, the now-widowed Countess of Harleigh, has adapted admirably to the quirks and traditions of the British aristocracy. On August twelfth each year, otherwise known as the Glorious Twelfth, most members of the upper class retire to their country estates for grouse-shooting season. Frances has little interest in hunting—for birds or a second husband—and is expecting to spend a quiet few months in London with her almost-engaged sister, Lily, until the throng returns.

Instead, she’s immersed in a shocking mystery when a friend, Mary Archer, is found murdered. Frances had hoped Mary might make a suitable bride for her cousin, Charles, but their courtship recently fizzled out. Unfortunately, this puts Charles in the spotlight—along with dozens of others. It seems Mary had countless notes hidden in her home, detailing the private indiscretions of society’s elite. Frances can hardly believe that the genteel and genial Mary was a blackmailer, yet why else would she horde such juicy tidbits?

Aided by her gallant friend and neighbor, George Hazelton, Frances begins assisting the police in this highly sensitive case, learning more about her peers than she ever wished to know. Too many suspects may be worse than none at all—but even more worrying is that the number of victims is increasing too. And unless Frances takes care, she’ll soon find herself among them . . .

A page-turning mystery full of wonderful characters,
humor, Southern charm, and just a little bit of romance.

When a last-minute opportunity arises to accompany her boss to an art auction in Atlanta, Lilly throws some money at the problem of where to board her toy poodle Aggie (short for Agatha Christie). Posh Pet Haven offers the most luxurious canine accommodations in all of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The place even provides pet cams so anxious owners can check in on their pampered pooches.

But when Lilly tries to take a peek at her poodle, she gets a terrible shock—she witnesses what she’s sure is a murder. She thinks the victim may be the wealthy co-owner of Pet Haven. The police follow her lead but find no body, no evidence of a crime, and no video record. Starting to feel like the dog owner who cried wolf, Lilly decides to go undercover to catch a killer who may be hiding in plain sight …

Maggie Toussaint

Using normal and paranormal senses, Baxley matches wits with a cunning adversary.

Justice for the dead and solace for the living is Baxley Powell’s creed, but she faces uncharted territory in this sixth book of the Dreamwalker Mystery Series. The Suitcase Killer has struck again, only this big city menace is now a problem for Baxley’s hometown. As that investigation heats up, a local woman is reported missing. The sheriff orders Baxley to work the missing person’s case.

Listening to the dead is familiar ground for Baxley but finding a missing young lady isn’t in her skill set. Besides, her dreams rarely follow a timeline. With the clock ticking, can this crime consultant discover a way to reach the living?

Her main source of help in the afterlife, a mentor named Rose, is unavailable. Instead, Baxley must rely on her wits and her Native American boyfriend, Deputy Sam Mayes, to find leads. Each shared dreamwalk and energy transfer binds them closer together, creating another issue. Mayes wants to marry Baxley but it isn’t that easy. They’re hampered by their community roles in opposite ends of the state.

Baxley juggles the pressure of two high-profile cases, a determined suitor, and expanding her limits. One thing is certain. Without her extrasensory sleuthing, the missing woman will die.

Meg Macy

Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear—played by Mayor Cal Bloom—is missing.

After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas—or will Sasha meet her own shocking end?

Zara Keane

Two Times, Two Crimes…

Dee Flanagan loves Irish history, bad rom-coms, and red lipstick. Dead clowns, injured time travelers, and shoot-outs don’t make it onto the small-town reporter’s Top Ten list. After the bullets stop flying in Dunleagh Castle’s courtyard, it’s up to Dee to convince people she didn’t imagine a gunfight played out between two centuries.

With the body count rising, and no one willing to believe Dee’s time travel theory, she’s forced to team up with a man who’s either a bona fide fruit cake or a police officer from the year 1919. Using her expert knowledge of the Irish War of Independence, Dee sets out to solve a century-old crime, plus a modern-day murder.

Suzanne Trauth

DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY

Restaurant manager Dodie O’Dell has found her niche in the cozy New Jersey town of Etonville, creating menus that make a delicious double-act with the community theater’s productions. Now she’s ready for a vacation at the Jersey Shore town she called home before a hurricane hit. Sun, salty air, and seagulls make for a nostalgic escape from regular life—until a contingent from Etonville arrives to compete in a Jersey Shore theater festival.

Roped into helping her former boss cater the event, Dodie also gets a visit from her old flame, Jackson, who’s hoping to revive his charter boat business and is looking for a place to crash. Before Dodie can tell him that ship has sailed, Jackson’s partner is found murdered on his boat. Dodie knows her ex is a mooch, but she’s sure he’s no killer. But as she follows a trail of evidence that leads into her own past, Dodie stumbles on a dangerous conspiracy theory that could bring the festival to a shocking finale…

Anna Gerard

New Cozy Series

What’s black and white and dead all over? Georgia bed and breakfast proprietor Nina Fleet finds out when she comes across a corpse in a penguin costume.

Nina Fleet’s life ought to be as sweet as a Georgia peach. Awarded a tidy sum in her divorce, Nina retired at 41 to a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. But Nina’s barely settled into her new B&B-to-be when a penguin shows up on her porch. Or, at least, a man wearing a penguin suit.

Harry Westcott is making ends meet as an ice cream shop’s mascot and has a letter from his great-aunt, pledging to leave him the house. Too bad that’s not what her will says. Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease. Real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community, so Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns. And then Nina finds the “penguin” again, this time lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest.

A peek under the beak tells Nina it’s not Harry inside the costume, but Bainbridge. What was he doing in Harry’s penguin suit? Was the developer really the intended victim, or did the culprit mean to kill Harry? Whoever is out to stop Harry from contesting the sale of his great-aunt’s house may also be after Nina, so she teams up with him to cage the killer before someone clips her wings in Peach Clobbered, Anna Gerard’s charming first Georgia B&B mystery.

Paula Darnell

DIY Diva Laurel McMillan rejoices when her student Jennifer's peacock pillow wins a design contest; that is until Jennifer's husband Matt is smothered with the very same pillow. When the police confiscate her prize-winning pillow, Jennifer freaks out, and Laurel fears that Jennifer may be more upset about losing the pillow than about Matt's death. But the police arrest disgraced nurse Edna Elkins, not Jennifer. Begging Laurel to find the real killer, Edna insists she's innocent, but Laurel's not so sure, and when Laurel encounters Jennifer while walking her lovable Labrador retriever, Bear, she's left with more questions than answers. Should the crafty DIY Diva play DIY Detective or does Edna really belong in jail?

Heather Haven

When chefs Charly and Cliff Harding divorce, she gets custody of their upscale restaurant and its namesake, Felix, the cat. He gets custody of their dog, Oscar. But what they both still have custody of is each other’s heart. and they seem to be the only two in the small ski resort town of Snow Lake, Nevada, who don’t know it. Cliff opens his own restaurant in direct competition with Charly’s and bad things start to happen. Death threats, accidents, and murder are now on the menu.

Their ‘if-you-can’t-take-the-heat-then-get-out-of-the-kitchen’ battles are backfiring on them. But can they find their way back to each other? Or will they spend the rest of their livesin prison unjustly accused of murder?

Debra Goldstein

Coming September 24, 2019

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone . . .

Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end . . .

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the Blair girls’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?

Anna Celeste Burke

Coming September 10, 2019

The curtain may fall on the Calla Lily Players’ first season unless Lily and Austin can find a killer on the loose in California’s wine country. Torrential rains threaten to put a damper on The Calla Lily Players’ first outdoor theater production. When the ground suddenly shifts, buried secrets revealed amid the tangled vines put the spotlight on murder. As Lily and Austin dig deeper into the mystery, the drama unfolds onstage and off. The race is on to find a killer before opening night.

Grab your copy of the second book in the Calla Lily Mystery series by USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Anna Celeste Burke and join the race! Recipes Included.

Jodi Rath

New from Jodi Rath!

Financial fraud of elderly villagers in Leavensport, an urban sprawl threat to the community, disastrous dates, cross-sell marketing gone wrong, and another murder? Jolie Tucker is ready to try dating again. Well, she has no choice—since her family auctioned her off to the highest bidder. Her best friend, Ava, has agreed to a double date, but both friends find out hidden secrets about their partners as well as deception by one of the village's own, who will soon be found dead. This plot is sure to be spicy!

Laura Childs – Cackleberry Club Mysteries

The Christmas season at the Cackleberry Club café is marred by murder in the latest book in the New York Times bestselling series.

Some say that casting crusty attorney Allen Sharpe as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of "A Christmas Carol" is just playing to type. He's not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you'd have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still, it's a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred's favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni's almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

Laura Childs – Tea Shop Mysteries

Theodosia Browning serves tea and solves crimes in Charleston, a city steeped in tradition and treachery in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

It is Sunday afternoon, and Theodosia and Drayton are catering a formal tea at a hot-air balloon rally. The view aloft is not only stunning, they are also surrounded by a dozen other colorful hot-air balloons. But as the sky turns gray and the clouds start to boil up, a strange object zooms out of nowhere. It is a drone, and it appears to be buzzing around the balloons, checking them out.

As Theodosia and Drayton watch, the drone, hovering like some angry, mechanized insect, deliberately crashes into the balloon next to them. An enormous, fiery explosion erupts, and everyone watches in horror as the balloon plummets to the earth, killing all three of its passengers.

Sirens scream, first responders arrive, and Theodosia is interviewed by the police. During the interview, she learns that one of the downed occupants was Don Kingsley, the CEO of a local software company, SyncSoft. Not only do the police suspect Kingsley as the primary target, they learn that he possessed a rare Revolutionary War Union Jack flag that several people were rabidly bidding on.

Intrigued, Theodosia begins her own investigation. Was it the CEO's soon-to-be ex-wife, who is restoring an enormous mansion at no expense? The CEO's personal assistant, who also functioned as curator of his prized collection of Americana? Two rival antiques' dealers known for dirty dealing? Or was the killer the fiancée of one of Theodosia's dear friends, who turns out to be an employee—and whistle-blower—at SyncSoft?

Laura Childs – Terrie Moran – Scrapbook Mysteries

<An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered in this latest Scrapbooking Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author.

It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela's ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus' float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed.

Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe-member's death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder....and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.

Blogoversary

Best Reads 2019

Best Reads 2019
These books have received my
Paradise Rating

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